Eleven Dead in Avalanches in the Alps

5th February 2023

Last modified on February 8th, 2023

Heavy snow has led to a series of avalanches. The have been fatal accidents in Austria, Switzerland & Italy.

The snow has been accompanied by high winds that have increased the danger of avalanches.

The authorities are urging anyone that ventures away from the marked trails to exercise caution and obey all the rules and instructions from the piste patrol.

Skiers & snowboarders should carry the correct safety equipment – avalanche transceiver, probe & shovel – and know how to use them.

The avalanche risk in parts of Austria has been at Level 4 on a scale of 5.

This means there is a ‘high’ risk.

On Saturday in St Anton in Austria a 29-year-old ski guide and his 33-year-old male guest who were skiing away from prepared ski runs when a snowboarder reportedly set off an avalanche above them.

Another incident happened in the Sud Tirol in Italy.

A 31-year-old female German skiers was killed near the Limo Pass to the east of Bolzano.

Rescuers worked in 75-mph winds and were only able to recover her body.

She was found under 2.5 meters of snow.

Another woman skiing with her was freed from the snow unharmed.

A teenager was killed in an avalanche off piste in Kaltenbach in Austria on Saturday.

He has been identifiedas 17-year-old skiing champion Will Cookson.

On Saturday the body of a 50 year old man was recovered in the Kleinwalsertal valley in Austria.

On Friday a 32-year-old man died in an avalanche in the resort of Soelden in the Tirol.

A 62-year-old man who died while was cross-country skiing around the summit of Hohe Aifner in the Tirol.

It was announced on Sunday that a 59-year-old man died while using a snow plough in the western Tirol.

In the Tirol in Austria 30 avalanches were reported on Saturday alone- 11 of them involved people.

Avalanche in the Alps. Image © PlanetSKI

The resort of Stubai in the Tirol was closed completely on Saturday due to heavy snow and high winds.

“Due to strong winds, the facilities of Stubaier Glacier will remain closed today 4.2.2023 for safety reasons,” the resort said in a statement.

In Switzerland, two off-piste skiers were killed by an avalanche in the canton of Graubunden.

They were a 56-year-old woman and a 52-year-old man.

A third member of the group managed to escape unharmed.

The local police in Graubunden say the rescue operation was hampered by poor visibility and bad weather.

Some heavy snow has also fallen in neighbouring Switzerland where the risk remains at Level 3 in eastern parts of the country.

The Swiss Institute for Avalanche Information and Research says that “for those venturing off piste a critical avalanche situation will be encountered in some regions.”